text: 1) Rest. The most important treatment for a pulled calf muscle is rest. It sounds simple, but it is vital to rest to allow the muscles to heal and to prevent the injury getting worse. Returning to activity too soon can turn a grade 1 torn calf muscle into a grade 2 or a grade 2 to a grade 3. You will probably need to rest for 2-3 weeks with a grade 1 calf muscle strain, longer for a more severe injury. Avoid any activities that cause pain and do not stretch the muscle.